DaVinci Composite Slate Pledges Protection for Sorority House

Last year, the sorority sisters at Kappa Alpha Theta on the University of Oklahoma campus said farewell to their breaking, cracking old clay tile roof. After many years of repairs to the disintegrating clay roof, a new composite slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes was installed.

“The terrazzo tile roof was leaking and giving us all kinds of problems on both the interior and exterior of our historic house,” says Barb Munneke, president of the Facility Corporation Board. “I’m tasked with keeping our 1932 house in tip top shape. Unfortunately the roof was past its prime. We reached out to Jenco Roofing for suggestions on a new roof and they introduced us to DaVinci Roofscapes.”

Mother Nature Gets Mad

With severe weather, high winds and hail a constant threat for the house in Norman, Okla., Munneke knew they needed a roofing product that would hold up against Mother Nature. Having 86 women reside in the house put a special intensity to the new roof search. Their safety was her highest priority.

“We like the hail resistance of the composite slate roof from DaVinci because Norman has a lot of potential dangerous weather in the Spring each year,” says Munneke. “We’re very pleased with the look of the new roof, and we’re feeling more secure as we head into our tough weather season.”

Good-Bye Crackling Clay Roof

When Doyle Tiffin with Jenco Roofing learned that Kappa Alpha Theta was ready to replace their old roof, he offered a prayer of thanks. Over the years Jenco had been involved in repairs of the old clay tile roof — and he knew it had to go.

“The old clay tile was routinely breaking and falling off the three-story structure,” says Tiffin, a salesman with Jenco Roofing. “I knew this could potentially harm the students and staff. It was a relief when they decided to replace the old roof.”

At the same time Tiffin knew which product he wanted to recommend: impact-resistant composite slate from DaVinci Roofscapes.

“Our company has installed more than 250 DaVinci roofs since the early 2,000’s,” says Tiffin. “They’re selected for their beauty, durability and strong warranty.”

Challenging Installation

Once the Jenco team removed the existing heavy clay tiles, they installed a titanium brand underlayment and 24-gauge standing seam metal roof. The wall flashings were replaced and the DaVinci Multi-Width Slate composite roofing tiles were installed in a staggered course.

“The height and steepness of the structure posted a challenge,” says Tiffin. “To be safe we installed scaffolding around all the eves. We even used a skytrack for loading and unloading the roof products.

“We had on-site roll-off dumpsters to handle the old materials. Keeping them away from the landscaping was a chief goal.”

Another challenge for the roofing team was completing the project in just six weeks — so the sorority could have the time to prepare for their Fall Rush.

Ready for School Year

With summer over, the composite slate roof was completed in time for the Autumn 2017 semester to begin. Women living in the house can now proudly — and safely — proclaim the Kappa Alpha Theta house as their home.

“The European blend of colors looks beautiful on this historic building,” says Tiffin. “This is a roof the sorority will never have to worry about. Whether Mother Nature comes gently knocking or barreling in, the composite slate roof on this structure will hold up admirably.”